The present disclosure generally relates to a point of care testing system and a method for configuration of a point of care testing system.
In vitro diagnostic testing has a major effect on clinical decisions, providing physicians with pivotal information. Particularly there is great emphasis on providing quick and accurate test results in critical care settings.
One field of diagnostic testing is conducted with large analytical instruments in laboratories. These instruments are operated by operators that are educated to maintain and operate such instruments.
Another field of diagnostic testing is bedside testing, or point of care testing (POCT). This type of diagnostic testing is performed mainly by nurses or medical staff primarily trained to operate the instruments available at the site of patient care, such as hospitals, emergency departments, intensive care units, primary care setting, medical centers, patient homes, a physician's office, a pharmacy or a site of an emergency.
Often, POCT needs to meet clinical and laboratory requirements for short turnaround times in critical care. Rapid determination of time-critical parameters (e.g. blood glucose, cardiac markers, blood gases, etc.) can accelerate decision making in the emergency room, intensive care units or even in the primary care setting.
Major benefits are obtained when the output of a POCT device is made available immediately. Results can be shared instantaneously with all members of the medical team enhancing communication by decreasing turnaround time (TAT).
POCT has become established worldwide and finds vital roles in public health. Potential operational benefits of POCT include: faster decision making, reduced operating times, postoperative care time, reduced emergency room time, reduced number of outpatient clinic visits, reduced number of hospital beds required, more optimal use of professional time.
While there are many benefits of using POCT devices in terms of their convenience, establishing POCT is challenging. Some of the biggest challenges relate to engaging health care providers as testing personnel, all the while ensuring adherence to best laboratory practices and regulatory agency standards. Thus POCT implementation requires a systematic approach that involves all stakeholders.
Therefore, there is a need for a POC system and method that provide convenient, assisted workflow solutions for the configuration management of POC analyzers to enable efficient replacement of POC analyzers and to enable traceable relocation of POC analyzers within, for example, a hospital.